Thankful

Thank you to all who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

How very blessed we are to live in this nation (however flawed it may be).

Happy Memorial Day

Sudsy Fun

It was a gorgeous day, and time to wash "mommy's" car! We all had a ball and actually managed to get the job done. D was pretty conscientious, but A was mostly interested in playing with the bubbles. Request for help: Anyone know how to deal with streaky car windows? I tried 2 different glass cleaners (1 with heavy ammonia) and even straight rubbing alcohol, but we still have nasty streaks. What else can we try?!?

Other Random Updates:

* We have a robin nesting in one of our trees; I literally can check up on her just by opening the front door. No eggs yet, but she was diligently sitting today (even the sound of me vacuuming the car didn't scare her off!)

* Last night after the kids had gone to bed, I went grocery shopping and bought a watermelon (among other things). This morning, when our son saw it he gave it a hug. He reallllllly likes watermelon!

* We spent a few hours pulling weeds this afternoon - I'm clearing some space and we're going to plant acorn squash and pear tomatoes. NO, IT'S NOT A GARDEN! But the kids are seriously excited about growing their own squash. :)

* I got my first mosquito bite of the year yesterday. Yes, the awful pests have returned.

* The kids are no longer allowed to use liquid soap to wash their hands. We've gone through a ridiculous amount in the past month or so, so we now have a bar of Dial by the sink. Note to self: remember to put out the good B&B soap when friends come over.

* We played outside yesterday afternoon, blowing bubbles. The kids were chasing them around the yard and popping them - pretty normal, right? Well, our little maniac took it to the next level when he announced he needed "a big hammer" and proceeded to hunt down the bubbles with a crouquet mallet. Sorry, no pics - I was laughing too hard!

We're heading up for our nephew's graduation tomorrow, and then on Monday we're playing it pretty low key - we have some friends coming over for dinner, but that's about it. We normally put our pool up over Memorial Day weekend, but the nights are still too chilly. Maybe next weekend!

Friday Funny

Thinking of Having Kids? Try this 11 step program to prepare!

Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed, then rub them on the clean walls.
4. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
5. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons.
How does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child with you (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.

Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Dora, Diego, the Wiggles, and the Disney Princesses. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice.. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Family Time

Well, we had a really nice time with Mom and C. Thankfully the weather was beautiful on Thursday, so we could play outside (and find green things to attach to noses), and later in the evening the kids learned how to play war.

The Memorial Service on Saturday went well, too, but I must say I'm glad it's over. There were a lot of family and friends to catch up with, and our daughter was definitely a bit overwhelmed by the crowd (and consequently was super clingy). It truly was a time of rejoicing, though, and I pray that the reflections on Dad's life helped plant some seeds for others...

Lastly, a bit of springtime - the azaleas and dogwoods are blooming!

Rainy Day Activity

What to do when it's drizzly and miserable outside? Why, spin yourself silly on the computer chair, of course!

Joy in the Morning

Checking in and signing off...

Things are going to be pretty quiet on the blog for the next few days - my MIL and niece arrive this evening and will be staying with us for a few days, and then we have Dad's Memorial Service on Saturday. We'd really appreciate your prayers!